Smallbatch adds goat and bison to single-ingredient treat line
Bottom line
Smallbatch Pets has expanded its freeze-dried, single-ingredient treat line with three novel protein options: Grass-fed Goat Hearts, Grass-fed Goat Livers, and Bison Livers. The new treats are marketed for both dogs and cats, contain one ingredient only, and are positioned for pet parents seeking variety, rotational feeding options, or simpler ingredient decks for pets with food sensitivities. According to Pet Food Processing, the products launched July 22, 2026, and are available in 3-ounce bags through independent pet stores across the United States. On Smallbatch’s own site, the products are listed alongside the brand’s existing heart and liver treats, with goat heart treats priced at $17.99, goat liver treats at $14.99, and bison liver treats at $16.99. (petfoodprocessing.net)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the launch reflects continued demand for limited-ingredient, novel-protein products in the broader pet nutrition market, especially among pet parents concerned about adverse food reactions. That said, treats remain supplemental products, not complete diets. AAFCO notes that treats do not have to meet complete-and-balanced nutritional adequacy standards if they are clearly labeled as treats or snacks, and veterinary guidance still favors properly managed elimination diet trials, often with prescription or carefully selected novel-protein diets, when food allergy is being evaluated. In practice, products like these may be useful for households trying to avoid certain common proteins during maintenance or reward routines, but they aren't substitutes for a diagnostic diet trial. (aafco.org)
What to watch: Watch for whether Smallbatch broadens distribution beyond independents, adds more novel proteins, or positions the line more directly around allergy-conscious and limited-ingredient use cases. (petfoodprocessing.net)
Smallbatch Pets is widening its footprint in freeze-dried treats with three new single-ingredient, novel-protein products: Grass-fed Goat Hearts, Grass-fed Goat Livers, and Bison Livers. The company says the treats are suitable for both dogs and cats and are aimed at pet parents looking for minimally processed rewards with short ingredient lists. Pet Food Processing reported the expansion on July 22, 2026, citing availability in independent pet stores nationwide. (petfoodprocessing.net)
The move fits squarely within two durable pet food trends: premiumization and simplification. Smallbatch has built its brand around raw, freeze-dried, and lightly cooked products with an emphasis on sourcing and minimal processing, and its treat assortment already included single-ingredient proteins such as chicken heart, beef heart, lamb heart, turkey heart, and several liver options. The new goat and bison entries deepen that strategy rather than changing it, giving the company more coverage in the novel-protein space without moving away from its existing product format. (smallbatchpets.com)
According to Pet Food Processing, each of the new treats contains one ingredient and no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, fillers, or synthetic additives. CEO Steve Donzelli said the products build on some of the brand’s most popular items and reflect Smallbatch’s focus on “thoughtfully sourced ingredients, minimal processing and clean, whole food nutrition.” Smallbatch’s product pages add a few commercial specifics: the goat heart treats are made from 100% grass-fed goat hearts, sold in 3-ounce bags, and labeled for supplemental feeding, including use as treats, training rewards, or toppers. On the company’s current treats page, goat heart, goat liver, and bison liver are all live listings, suggesting the rollout is already integrated into the broader catalog. (petfoodprocessing.net)
From an industry perspective, the launch also shows how brands are extending “novel protein” positioning beyond full diets and into the treat aisle. That matters because pet parents managing suspected sensitivities often want consistency across everything a pet eats, including rewards. Smallbatch explicitly says the line is intended to support rotational feeding and pets with food sensitivities or more limited-ingredient diets. At the same time, the regulatory and clinical context is important: AAFCO says treats are exempt from complete-and-balanced nutritional adequacy requirements when clearly labeled as treats or snacks, so these products occupy a different role from therapeutic or maintenance diets. (petfoodprocessing.net)
That distinction is where veterinary perspective becomes especially useful. Veterinary nutrition and dermatology guidance continues to emphasize that elimination diet trials are the most reliable way to diagnose adverse food reactions, and that prescription hydrolyzed or carefully selected novel-protein diets are often preferred because of tighter manufacturing controls and a clearer feeding framework. AAHA’s allergic skin disease guidance and North Carolina State University’s nutrition service both support that approach. In other words, a single-ingredient goat or bison treat may help some households avoid common proteins during day-to-day management, but it shouldn't be confused with a validated diagnostic diet. (aaha.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary teams, this product launch is less about a breakthrough and more about market direction. Pet parents are increasingly shopping for treats with the same scrutiny they apply to diets: single protein, limited ingredients, minimally processed, and species outside the usual chicken-beef mix. That can be helpful when clinicians need clients to reduce exposure to certain proteins in multi-pet households or during broader nutrition cleanups. But it also creates a counseling opportunity. Practices may need to remind pet parents that over-the-counter novel-protein treats can support a feeding plan, yet they don't replace a structured allergy workup, and even “simple” treats still need to be evaluated in the context of the pet’s full diet and medical history. (petfoodprocessing.net)
Another practical point for clinics is that Smallbatch is placing the products in independent pet stores, not just direct-to-consumer channels. That means veterinary staff may start seeing these treats in client homes sooner rather than later, particularly among pet parents already buying premium raw or freeze-dried foods. Because the products are sold in small 3-ounce bags and priced in the mid-teens on the company’s site, they appear positioned as premium rewards rather than everyday bulk treats. (petfoodprocessing.net)
What to watch: The next signals will be whether Smallbatch expands the line into additional novel proteins, secures broader retail placement, or sharpens its messaging around allergy-adjacent use without crossing into disease-treatment claims. For veterinary professionals, the bigger trend is the continued migration of limited-ingredient and novel-protein logic from diets into treats, toppers, and other supplemental products. (petfoodprocessing.net)